Lost Lullaby
by Horky
Summary: After all...you weren't even a remnant...you don't even know what you were...doesn't everyone deserve a second chance? Don't you deserve a second chance?
1. The First Verse

Lost Lullaby

The First Verse

You don't remember much of anything when you first wake, lying on your back in the Midgar ruins. There's blood all around you, your face feels like its melted, and you don't think you could speak if you needed to. It feels like your throat is made of sand paper. Somehow you manage to sit up, ignoring the pain in your chest. Your entire right arm is numb, and the sleeve on your outfit has been torn to shreds. You turn, cracking your back once, and you see your brother's body lying off in the distance, his leg contorted in a strange angle. Your thoughts pause there, lost in a moment of time, trying to remember why you ever called him brother.

It's three weeks you think before you finally end up there after abandoning your 'brother'. You put a splint on his leg, and left your tattered clothing by his body after finding some old looking rags in the ruins. They may have once been curtains, but you don't care. You don't want to associate yourself with the life you don't remember. You don't know why, but it's just something you choose. However, you feel your brother should at least know you survived. He should know that you don't want him to come after you. You don't remember much about the place, but it calls to you, drawing you in. There's a pool in the back, but streams and flashes of memories seem to pull at your eyes saying that there's not suppose to be one. All you know is that the place is different since the last time you were there. You dip your feet in the water, sitting at the edge of the pool, letting a sense of calm overtake you. You can't remember the last time you felt this at peace with yourself, and figure that you might take up shelter here. This place is different from anywhere else.

It's been three days when she enters, catching you off guard. It must be sunrise, or sunset, you don't keep track of the day anymore, but the sun is casting a light behind her, making her a silhouette, and you lightly wonder if she's an angel. But you don't see any wings, so you mentally scold yourself. Wings...the memory sticks in your mind like peanut butter sticks to the roof of your mouth. It's annoying, but oh so good, and you wonder why you remembered peanut butter. You catch a bit of a woman slipping you a peanut butter sandwich when you were suppose to be working outside. Then the memory is gone, though the wings still hangs at the edge of your mind, ready to make its assault. She stops dead in her tracks, and you can feel her eyes questioning you.

She asks if your lost, and you don't reply. You don't think you remember how to use your voice. She walks over slowly, cautiously, but when she turns you see she's wearing a smile on her face, and her voice has concern in it if she asks if you're okay again. Something inside you tells you to answer her idiot, and you open your mouth to say something but words fail you. You meet her eyes, and there's a look in her eyes you've never seen there before...at least not directed at you. She's showing compassion and kindness toward you. Last time you saw her, she eyed you with suspicion and cracked your jaw.

That's what triggers it, the memories. They flood back to you, and you feel like your drowning. It's only later when you wake up you realize you were. In your confusion of memories, you tipped forward and almost drowned in the pool. She dove in though, and pulled you out. However, at that moment, your concern is now you know what's wrong with the church. Last time you were here, there were flowers. You'd thought they were disgusting, and she was here with that little girl. You provoked her, and she attacked with a vengeance. It'd been a heated battle, and you wonder how you could've brought yourself to do those things. These memories trigger others, all the way back till when you first met him. When he told you he could make it all stop and be better. You accepted without thinking. But the last thing you see in your mind before slipping into unconsciousness was the way she looked when you had defeated her. How you had your arm poised to kill. However, the last thing you see with your eyes is her face trying to yank you to the surface of the pool

When you wake, she's there. You only wake for a second though, catching a few words she exchanges with an unseen presence. 'Church...pool...drowning...couldn't leave...don't worry...I'll take care...you go rest, Cloud.' It's then you slip into a dream state again. It's then you recall your memories, how everything started. You relive your life from the moment you met him and began to forget everything before. You don't remember where you lived, all you know is that it was out in the country, in the middle of nowhere. You remember only telling your mother once about the voice, and she shakes her head, saying it'll be okay. You recognize your mother as the woman who snuck you the sandwich, and peanut butter was your favorite; you regret leaving her. But the voice became insistent, pushing you towards going out to that cliff side that night. It was there you met him, he was cocky; you wonder if he's always been that way, or if it was just because he found out he was needed. He calls you brother, and tells you mother sent him to find you. He says she's been talking to you for a long time. You spat that you don't want her to talk to you, and that she isn't your mother. He just sort of grins, and apologizes. He says of course she isn't, but she might accidently hurt your real mother. You swallow, and you feel your stomach clench. You ask what he wants. He smiles, and you notice his eyes are strange. Green with cat-like slits for pupils. You shiver, but not from the wind. He answers. He tells you he can make the voice stop, all you have to do is come with him. You glance down towards the house behind you, and swallow again. Your throat is dry. She won't hurt them if you come with me, he says and you grimace. If he can make the voice stop, you can come back and everything will be okay. You ask if you can say goodbye, but he shakes his head no, saying she won't let you go if you say you're leaving. You nod your head, agreeing, and ask his name. He grins again, that cocky, king of the world grin, and states: Kadaj. You go to say your name, but he holds up his hand, silencing you. No, he states, your name doesn't matter. It's Loz now, and so are your memories.

You don't remember much after that, only how your body changes. You use to have black hair, now it's a silver gray you only use to associate with elders. You realize this is the way your hair should've always been. When you see yourself in the mirror now, you see your eyes have changed to match his. They use to be a blue; you remember your mother telling you once that they were so blue she lost your pupils in them. Now your pupils are vertical slits, and you recognize mako in your eyes. Your mother use to tell you mako was for the planet, and ShinRa stole it. Your body gets bigger. You use to be more wiry, not so much muscle, and slender. Now you have nothing but bulk, giant biceps where skinny arms use to be. In reality, those skinny arms had been well toned from working outside. Now you think they were pathetic. In fact, everything about your old self was pathetic, you say to yourself. You question if it's really you saying that, or Kadaj, or the voice in your head. It's a very demanding voice, and hardly ever stops. You ask Kadaj when he'll stop it, and he says soon. However, soon, you've gotten use to it, and it doesn't bother you as much. You learn how to use materia, and Kadaj fashions a weapon for your left arm. You don't understand much about it, except it has to prongs that can shoot forward, and electricity can run through it. Kadaj thinks you're funny when you marvel over this weapon. You ask Kadaj on several occasions who he is. He just sort of smiles at you, and states he's a remnant; a part of a better good. You ask him what you are, then. He just snorts, and walks away. As time goes, you tell Kadaj you don't mind the voice so much now. It's not as angry now that you listen to it. You do however, tell Kadaj you wish it would stop telling you to call it mother. You say you don't want to, that you miss your mother. Kadaj sort of glares at you with contempt and says that he thought we were past this. You shake your head, saying you won't go on if the voice doesn't stop it. Kadaj's eyes glare at you with full blown anger, something you rarely see from him, even if he is fickle. Something changes in him, though, and he gives you a smirk before placing his hand on your shoulder. You look at him, questioning what he's doing, before your eyes meet his.

It's then the flashes come in, memories that aren't your own, people you don't know, places you've never seen nor been, and yet, you know them all. You try to fight the onslaught, as you see a man that looks like Kadaj, and at the same time doesn't look like him, walking in flames. The last memory you grip to is that of your mother holding your hand when you're seven, and going to you're father's funeral. It's raining, and there aren't any people there but the priest, and your shoes squelch when you step, your feet sinking in the mud. The first place where you feel the water is your toes, and then it spreads, filling your shoe, kind of like the pain. When your father first died, you felt it only in your heart, and it didn't hurt so bad. Then it spread when the realization sunk in, the pain that gripped you so much, and you didn't understand how your father's death could cause physical pain. You don't understand why your head is on fire, nor why your fingers were numb as it overtook you. But when your mother took your hand, and sung a soft lullaby she hadn't sang since you'd been in your crib, everything felt okay. You believed your mother when she said your father was still there for you, and when she said we'd get through this okay. You remember how itchy the suit was, and how your mother had tied your bow tie to tightly around your throat. You kept pulling at it on the way home, thinking it would be okay. You're surprised when she takes this memory from you, because it's the most clear cut memory you've ever had of your past life. You hate yourself when she takes it from you and proclaims herself your mother now. You feel your real mother slipping away. The peanut butter, bow tying, lullaby singing mother who held your hand, and wiped your tears when you cried. You remember having that hole in your head when she finally leaves you completely, when this bestial creature takes her place. You remember telling yourself it was all right, when you knew it wasn't. For the longest time, Kadaj gave you disproving looks, and your 'mother' would mentally abuse you every time you thought or spoke the lullaby. You couldn't even remember it, except for a few words. It was when Kadaj was planning with 'mother' and you were on your motorcycle. It was so loud you couldn't hear yourself think or talk, so it was okay then. You'd utter it in a soft voice you didn't know you had until you spoke, and then wondered where it came from.

"_Breathe my child, it's all okay._

_Don't cry anymore, my love today."_

You realize you hate your 'mother' in these moments, but soon forget. You can't forget this though, that for some strange reason, a voice in the back of your head tells you that your real mother was killed, and that she's dead.

**A/N: **This is something I recently came up with, inspired by second person POV, and by stories that say Yazoo/Loz may have survived...just a different take. Let me know if you like it.


	2. The Second Verse

The Second Verse

She smiles at you when you wake up and asks how your doing. You still haven't remembered how to use your voice. She just smiles some more when she realizes you aren't going to answer. Still, that doesn't keep her from talking, and you find you don't mind. She's got a beautiful smile, and big ruby eyes. Her hair is long, and a dark brown, and you know you don't want to see anything on that face but a smile. She reminds you of your mother. Not 'mother', but the real one who sung you lullabies. She asks when was the last time you ate, and in all honesty you don't know. You wonder if you can die. You know you can feel pain, and you can be tired, and you can certainly be hungry, as the growl from your stomach just concluded that...but after everything you've been through, after everything that's been done to you, you wonder if you can die. She gives you soup, it's chicken noodle, she says, home made and fresh. You manage something of a smile, a way to thank her and she laughs.

"I'm glad to see you can at least smile."

When she says this, it makes you blush. You try to remember blushing. It'd been so long, especially when you lost most emotions when you lost your memories, and were left with the bare basics. Happiness, sadness, anger, and that was about it. A bit of cockiness, too, that you picked up from Kadaj. She smiles, and watches you eat, and then directs you to the bathroom before you even finish. It's hard to stand, your legs have become jelly. As you wash your hands in the sink, you glance up, catching yourself in the mirror and sort of gasp. You had wondered lightly why she hadn't killed you on sight, and why she had nursed you back to health. You see now she didn't recognize you, you barely recognize yourself. You touch your cheek lightly, revealing in the fact that your skin feels warm and alive. When you were 'Loz', you knew it didn't feel this way, it was cold and clammy...almost like you were dead, and in a way, you were. Your hair isn't silver anymore, it's black, and your eyes are blue again. Your large muscles have all but disappeared, leaving you a scrawny being. You're thin in lack of nutrition, but healthy otherwise. You don't look like the old you, but at least no one out there with silver hair will call you brother now. You clear your throat before walking back out in hopes that you may be able to say something to her. She smiles at you again when you sit on the bed and she asks you your name, saying hers is Tifa Lockhart.

"Shale."

You sort of gasp at the almost automatic reaction of stating your name.

"So you do have a voice." She says, smiling.

You wonder if all she ever does is smile, course, not that you mind. You can't remember the last smile that was directed towards you that didn't have some type of malice to it. You also don't know if Shale's really your name, or just some resemblance to your name. When she caries your dirty dishes downstairs, and says that you should take a shower, you move towards the bathroom with your borrowed clothes. She says she tossed out your curtain toga thing. As you stand in the shower and remember what it's like to feel, words escape your mouth, surprising you.

"_Love is life, and life is love._

_Fly away my beautiful dove."_

When you see him the first time, you pity him, thinking he's a broken man...nothing more than a shell. He shows little emotions when he looks at you, but seems to ignore everything else and considers you with a strange look. You think it's your fault. That last stunt you pulled up in the ruins could've cost him a lot. Still, once Kadaj had...well, 'died', you couldn't bring yourself to shoot him with Yazoo. Yazoo was angry with you, and so was your 'Loz' self. You don't care though, you know if you shot him along with Yazoo, he'd probably die. So you have a lot of respect for him when he walks into the bar, unaffected it seems by any past wounds. He gives you a strange look, almost as if he's recognized you for a moment, and then sort of shrugs and continues on about his daily routine. You don't know where you fit in all this, and kind of wish you had something to do, but Tifa tells you that you still need to recover. After he leaves and she's working on opening the bar, she asks you where you live, and who your family is. Even though you remember, you don't tell her.

You cast your eyes down, and say "I don't remember, but I think my parents are dead."

You're an orphan. You realize this with a grim thought.

She gives you a sad smile and replies, "Don't worry, we're all orphans here."

That day you meet the children. Denzel is nice enough, but the girl, Marlene...when she looks at you, you're afraid she can see straight through you, that she sees Loz. She doesn't speak to you much, and while, she isn't mean, she acts like you don't exist. You think that maybe she doesn't recognize you, but reminds her of Loz. You're ashamed of yourself, and decide how to make it all up to Tifa. She's always haggard, running around the bar between customers and the children, so you say you'll help her with the bar. But she never lets you help at the bar; instead most of the time you end up with the children. This way, Marlene soon overcomes her shyness, seeing that it isn't Loz you figure, and Denzel is just Denzel.

You form a quick daily routine like the rest of them. You wake in the morning, and eat breakfast with the children. While Tifa prepares the bar, you get the kids ready for school. They've taken a liking to you, and you've taken a liking to them. They make you feel like you have purpose, like they give you a reason in life to keep on living and not just curl up and die. You walk the kids to school, and it's interesting to see how their friends react. Some of them are jealous, others in just plain awe, when it's Marlene who states (and that's the surprising part for you) that you're their big brother. In a way, it sounds kind of nice. That is the role you've taken on, you believe. It makes you feel sort of, special, and important. You stand a little taller, a bit prouder, than you have in a long time. It only bothers you at first that the word 'brother' brings up unwanted memories. However, you work past it, seeing the new meaning behind it. You pick them up at the end of the school day, help them with homework, play with them, and then help Tifa fix supper. You eat with the two, though Tifa never does. She always eats with him. You wrestle the two into the tub as he comes in, tired and stinking from the days events. You finally get them into bed, where you read or tell a story. You go to bed yourself not to long after, but not before you hear Tifa and Cloud come up to tell the kids good night.

You wear smiles on your face more often now, and you attribute it mostly to the kids and their infecting presence of mind. Also, though, you attribute it to Tifa. She's has a contagious air about her, that makes you feel good. On more than one occasion you've watched her talk drunken customers out suicide.

"Everyone has rough times," She says. "If you're brave enough to survive them though, then things have to get better. Sure, you're thinking that you've been working so long, nothing has changed! But you have to do more than just work. You have to believe, and you have to love...cause what's life without love? Go get a dog or a cat and make it your pet and love it...always love someone or something, or else life isn't worth living. Go out and find someone to love, and you'll be okay. You can't give up if you love someone."

It's at this point and time that the drunken suicidal people will reply that they love her.

She doesn't realize how much of an impact these words have on you, and how you know in your heart you'll live your life by them. After all, you've found some people to love, and you can't give up if you love someone.

_Breathe my child, it's all okay._

_Don't cry anymore, my love today._

_Love is life, and life is love,_

_Fly away my beautiful dove._


	3. The Third Verse

The Third Verse

You realize he thinks you're a threat. You realize this one day after you've been at Seventh Heaven for six months. You find it hard to believe that there was life before this. You knew Cloud really wasn't comfortable with you being here, but Tifa being who she is demanded that you stay, at least until you got back on your feet. He seems like he's okay with you, but there are times when he gets home early, and you question how much he accepts you. Maybe it's because you do so much with the kids, you really don't know, but you really don't like those looks he gives you from the table in the corner. Honestly, he's acting like you're going to kidnap her in the middle of the night. You know how she feels about him, though. You see the way she speaks softly to him, delicately almost. He treats her the same way. They act like they're walking on eggshells around each other sometimes. At first you didn't see why she loved him the way she did. All you knew was that she did. He seems cold, almost emotionless to you, and somehow you relate with that. You wonder if he's really that numb, or if he's just hiding in himself. Still, there are emotions present, you see after awhile. Marlene and Denzel tell you it use to be much worse, and he's doing good now. Still, you didn't see how.

It was those surprising shows of affection that made you see he loved her, too, that it wasn't a one-sided relationship. There have been times when you'd be woken up by him carrying her up the steps after she fell asleep waiting on him. You also note to get up early enough to see if he comes out of his room or hers. You don't think anything happens, really, it's just he likes to be with her, even if he can't say it himself. You watch him when he comes down on those mornings from her room, and he just sort of looks at you, and you look at him with as much understanding as you can. He still sees you as a punk kid, you figure. After all, you're only seventeen...or at least, that's how old you were when Kadaj took you. Now you're back, so you figure you're seventeen again. You remember when he first took her hand in his. You could never forget the look on her face that night, when he walked up behind the bar, speaking to her about his day. She's had a rough day, you've been sick, and she's gotten use to not having to hassle about with the kids. She's frazzled as she speaks with him, doing two different things with her hands, and watching you out of the corner of her eye to make sure you don't get sick all over the counter. You refused to stay cooped up in that room anymore, and now sit at the bar with a sulk and a blanket wrapped around you. You're hot, but you're cold, and you watch the two talk. She's ranting now, not even realizing that she hasn't stopped talking. He places his hand over hers, and she jumps, startled.

"Cloud?" She looks up, meeting his eyes, perplexed and blushing.

"You'll be okay." He says softly. "Tomorrow will be better."

"Uh..." She looks down at his hand, and back up again. "What if...something happens?"

"It won't...I'm taking the day off." He removes his hand, and begins to exit.

"It will be then, if you'll be here." She thinks no one hears, but you hear.

And so does he. He glances over his shoulders once, and you see an uplift to the corner of his mouth. You smile to, infected by the love in the air, if you will.

"_In your dreams, sleep peacefully._

_Tomorrow will be better, just believe."_

Tifa looks up startled, and you realize you've said these words out loud.

"What's that?" She asks, and you reply nothing.

Now he's looking at you like you could snatch her away in a moment. You sigh, you should expect this. Tifa is a wonderful woman, everyone loves her, in some shape or form. He's very protective of her, even if he knows she can take care of herself. He doesn't seem to care though, so you have to make it known you don't love her like that...though you do know you love her. You choose to one night after putting the kids to bed. You're sitting at the bar while Tifa cleans, and Cloud's in the corner, scrubbing on dishes.

"You know, Tifa," You start, "I just want to thank you for saving me that day...I'd probably be dead now if it weren't for you."

She looks up, caught off guard, and then smiles. "Well, that was unexpected Shale...but you're welcome...I'm glad I saved you."

You smile too, "This may sound a little weird Tifa..."

"What is it Shale?" She asks, curious.

You see you've caught Cloud's attention. He's not looking, but he's sort of leaning back away from the sink, a glass frozen in his hand as he had just about began to scrub it. You figure if you say the thing he doesn't want to hear, he'll probably chuck that glass at your head and won't even bother to give Tifa an explanation. Good thing that's not how you feel, and you redirect your attention to Tifa again.

"It's just...well...my mother's been dead for a while, I suppose...and you sort of remind me of her. I mean, I'm not going to go around calling you mother...but you do remind me of her...and...well..."

"Are you trying to say I'm like your mother now?" She asks, giggling.

You manage a small nod and blush, and glance towards Cloud. He's visibly relaxed. Unless he thinks you're into incest, you're no longer a threat. He treats you with a little more respect now, and a better understanding. He picks up on the fact that the kids call you brother now, and called you his son once as a joke to a customer. You don't really mind, but you honestly didn't think the man knew how to joke until that moment. You thought life was wonderful when you came to Seventh Heaven, but now it's even better, with no more tension in the house. It's like a real family, and it makes you feel good...makes you feel better than you have in a long time. The hole where your mother was has been filled in again with her memories. It doesn't hurt to think about her now, because you know she's watching over you, that she'll always be there for you...you also know she's happy that you've found a new family.

It's another whole four months before Cloud finally gets enough bravery to ask her out. You kind of can't blame him for being a coward about it for so long. Tifa's an intimidating woman, she rejects every man that asks her out. Of course, you know and your siblings know, that she was just waiting for him. So when he does finally ask her, she agrees, and you get stuck with babysitting, not that you mind though. It's three dates later, approximately four weeks later, before they have their first kiss to your knowledge. It's another month before you walk in on them accidentally while they're making out on the couch. You have similar experiences to these, especially when you get up at night to go to the bathroom. Sometimes, though, they just sit on the couch in each others arms. You figure it's a good thing for two people in love to just be able to sit and not have to be all over each other. You figure it's almost as significant as kissing. It takes a lot more strength and love to just sit with the one you love, rather than feeling her up. You blush at these thoughts, but it's true. It's on their one year anniversary though, that brings about the biggest change. Cloud had a special delivery he had to make in the early morning, and left Tifa alone in bed before she even woke up. However, you also know by poking your head in to check on her after he leaves, that he didn't leave heartlessly. There's a yellow rose sitting on his pillow where his head should be, and you wonder how you could've ever thought the man was an unfeeling shell. He takes her out to dinner, and gets dressed up. It's hard for him, but he has Marlene's help. He buys her a necklace with a pearl drop on it, and she loves it. They get home, all smiles, and you see Tifa bought Cloud a new watch, it looks expensive too. They put the kids to bed that night, and you slip into bed early. You hear them that night though, only once. It's so soft you doubt if you really heard it, and you think that it was just in your head. Still, as you lay there in the dark, you can't help but think you're glad it's your room next to Cloud's and Denzel and Marlene's is all the way at the end of the hall. In the morning though, you know it's true. Tifa cooks a huge breakfast, and has got this big, goofy smile on her face. In fact, you catch Cloud once with the same goofy smile on his face. He sees you looking at him, though, and his smile immediately disappears. He doesn't smile at you for the rest of the day. It takes him another whole week before he'll finally meet your eyes when he talks to you.

"_Breathe my child, it's all okay._

_Don't cry anymore, my love today._

_Love is life, and life is love,_

_Fly away my beautiful dove._

_In your dreams, sleep peacefully_

_Tomorrow will be better, just believe_."

**A/N: **thanks so much to DaLover miyuufa for reviewing...means alot to meh...thanks!


	4. The Fourth Verse

**A/N:** So SAD

The Fourth Verse

You'd been there for a little over two years now when you realized what was your punishment. Your punishment for every sin you committed, when you could've fought it, even if it did mean your death. You could've done something to stop Kadaj, even if on that cliff side it would've been a futile effort, but still...you could've done something. It's on Marlene's birthday that you realize what's wrong with you. As you wake early in the morning to help Tifa prepare for the party, nothing's changed in you. Nothing changes when you attempt to wrap presents. Barret's taken Marlene off for the morning, and you and Denzel attempt to wrap her presents. Tifa finally comes and saves the two of you when you somehow manage to get the box taped to Denzel, and your right hand wrapped with wrapping paper. Not to mention the fact the pink, glitter bow somehow got lodged in your hair during all of this...no doubt the work of Denzel. Nothing changes when Tifa slaps the back of your hand when you try and sneak a bit of cake batter. Nothing changes when Denzel tackles you in the living room, trying to be the first one to the fresh baked cookies. Nothing changes when Cloud comes in, and you help him haul in the doll house Barret got for his daughter. Many people come; Yuffie, Cid and Shera, which, by the way, now have a healthy baby girl. Nanaki is there as well, and Reeve whose present is a stuffed Cait Sith doll. There are many children that scurry about everyone's feet. When Barret comes back with Marlene, she squeals with up most delight, and hugs her dad's neck all over again. She's eleven years old today. Tifa made her cake to look like a chocobo, and she squeals yet again, declaring the chocobo's name Cloud. Cloud blushes slightly, and then pats her on top of the head, wish her a happy birthday. She gets lots of presents. Many are toys, and a few are books; her father gives her a silver necklace with a little heart on it, and she vows she'll never take it off. You got her a pink fleece blanket, with Tifa's help of course. She buries her face in the fabric and exclaims at how soft it is, and thanks you with a hug. After presents, Tifa brings out the cake, lit with candles. You're standing in the back when they break out into a chorus of 'happy birthday'. The door creaks open, and you see whose late. You smirk as you see Vincent walk in who gives you a curt nod. Turning your attention back towards Marlene, it hits you.

She's two years older than when you first got here.

She's had two years of growth behind her, and she's gotten taller.

She's growing...and so is Denzel...they're getting older.

You glance back at Vincent, the harsh reality setting in as he comes to stand beside you. You remember how Tifa told you he doesn't age. He gives you a look, and you realize you're staring, and you swallow, turning back towards Marlene. You can't watch her for long though, your eyes roam over the rest of the crowd. Yuffie was about your age, or was suppose to be, and you could see how she's aged, even if slightly these past two years. You can even see aging in Cloud, Tifa, and Barret. You swallow again, the happy birthday song muddling together in your head, slowing down and turning into some sort of sick, twisted, mocking tune. Everyone's happy smiles have turned to maniacal grins, and Marlene is glaring at you with a knowing look. You swallow bile, shaking your head, you're sweating, cold palms...dry mouth...sick to the stomach...and they're all still singing, all still smiling because Marlene is getting older. You turn, reaching out to grab for something for support, your hand knocking over a chair. It clatters to the ground, making the group jump and the singing dies off quickly as they watch you. You stumble towards the stairs, trying to ignore them, clutching your stomach.

"Shale?" Tifa's voice shakes with worry.

You swallow, "I'm fine...just keep...keep singing..." you gasp for air, and your voice cracks.

Somehow you make it up the steps, and you know they didn't start singing again. In away, you're grateful for that. Using the wall for support, you stumble into the bathroom, shutting the door and fumble with the lock. You retch three times in the toilet, and lay there for a moment, dry heaving. There's a soft knock on the door.

"Shale?" Tifa's voice is small through the wood.

"I'm fine..." You croak, standing slowly.

It's only then you bring yourself to look into the mirror above the bathroom sink.

You've been here for over two years...

And...

...You haven't aged a day.

You don't exit the bathroom until half an hour later, when you're sure Tifa has left from beside the door. You can hear them downstairs, playful laughter from children, and light talking from adults. You ease the door open softly, making sure to open it just enough to slip out.

"Hmm."

The voice makes you jump, and you clutch the door, glancing over. It's Vincent. He stares at you, sort of in a knowing way. You stare back for a moment, before continuing to your room. He asks if you are alright. You reply yes. He studies you for a moment, you can feel his eyes on your back, and you know he hasn't moved a muscle.

"May I...ask you a question?" You say.

There is no reply, so you ask anyways.

Swallowing, you say, "What's it like...not aging?"

"Why?"

"Just, never mind." You say, starting to enter your room.

"They accept me, they'll accept you."

"No...no they won't." You reply, knowing very well why.

You shut the door behind you, thinking about it. Oh sure, they'd accept Vincent, Vincent had never done anything wrong on their accounts. No, if you told them you didn't age, you'd have to say why. And if you told them why, then they'd hate you. They'd kick you out anyways. You sit on your bed, brooding about this for such a long time. You curse Yazoo, and you curse Kadaj, and Sephiroth. But Kadaj the most...he got to go to the promise land. You know that much. He got to die. You won't. You think about slitting your wrists, but decide against it. Now that you're the person you are, you won't do that. This is your punishment and you'll accept it, take it for what it is, and never give up. You can't give up, you have people you love.

But there is something you have to do...no matter how much you don't want to.

After a while you join the group again downstairs, and catch the ending of Marlene's birthday celebration. You play games with Marlene and her friends, and Tifa watches you closely. You try to act as normal as possible, and you don't know how you're doing. Vincent also watches you. He seems to know everything, so he probably knows what you're planning to do. You meet his eyes once, in the hustle, and he just stares. He shows no emotion, or any acknowledgment that you have met his eyes. You look away, unnerved by him. After all of Marlene's friend's leave, that's when they break out the alcohol. It's been a while since they've gotten together like this. They look for any excuse at all to have these gatherings, unfortunately they have lives they can't abandon as much as they'd like to. You watch them from a corner with Denzel and Marlene as they drink themselves silly. Barret laughs a lot when he's drunk, and he's even louder than normal. So every time he starts laughing, Marlene wants to run over there, but you see they're getting sleepy. You scoop Marlene up in one arm, and Denzel up in the other, making them abandon their half colored drawings of all the drunk people in the bar. You put them to bed, you don't even have to read a story to get them to fall asleep. It's been a tiring day. You stand at the foot of their beds watching them for a moment before your mouth opens.

_So breathe my child, it's all okay._

_Don't cry anymore my love today._

_I'm here for now, this moment I say._

_I'm here for good, in your heart I'll stay._

It makes you feel a little better that you sign the letters with this much of the lullaby. You'll be in their hearts forever, if they'll have you. You know they'll be in your heart forever. You place Denzel and Marlene's on the pillow beside of them. You tell them you'll come back when you remember the rest of it...although you don't know if that's true or not. You walk downstairs about two hours later, after preparing in your room. The room has been cleaned of your existence. There wasn't much to do. You hadn't collected much over the years, and lived with bare minimum. Still, you leave the room the way you first came to it, compressing your life into two small bags.

Everyone has passed out along the way of drunken stupor, even Vincent. You walk over to the bar, popping the cork of one of the bottles. You never drank before. You figure you're really over twenty one by now, even if you still have the body of a seventeen year-old. You sit down at the bar, pouring the drink into a chunky glass before sipping on it. You thought maybe you'd have some type of reaction to the drink, but it does nothing for you. That doesn't stop you, however from drinking most of the bottle. You've drank half of it when Tifa wakes. She stands shakily walking towards you, and sits beside you at the bar. She grabs one of the glasses strewn across the bar and slides it across to you. Without a word, you fill her glass. She takes a big gulp of the liquor, and then glances over at you.

"I've never seen you drink before."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures."

"Hmm." she replies. "What was wrong with you earlier?"

"Me." You reply.

"What do you mean?"

"Tifa...I'm sorry." You say, bowing your head.

"For what? You've only been good to us, for us." she says.

Normally she would've been shouting this at you, but the drink seems to have a dulling affect on her passion for life.

"No, I haven't."

"What...did you steal from us in the night or something? That's okay! We forgive you." She states, sipping the drink again.

"No, I didn't do that."

"Then what?"

"I can't tell you..."

"That's not a good answer." Tifa replies, glaring at you.

"It's the truth..."

She doesn't say anything to this, and merely sits staring at her drink.

"Is it...wrong for me to wish? Or hope?" She asks.

"What do you wish and hope for?"

She smirks, "I wished so long for him, and now I have him." Neither of you need to voice who she's talking about. "I wish...we can be a real family. I mean, we are in away...but...an official family. I love him...and I think he loves me."

"He does."

She smiles, grins goofily. "Maybe someday." she says as she sips her drink.

"What do you hope for?" she asks.

You swallow, might as well reply truthfully. She'll probably forget this in the morning anyways.

"I try not to."

"Doesn't stop ya though, does it?"

"That I can be forgiven. That...maybe my punishment will be lifted someday...but mostly, that I could change the past...even though I know I can't."

"Yeah...I wish I could change the past too. Find a way so that more people would've lived through Meteor and the events surrounding it...yeah...that'd be nice."

"It would." You reply.

"You know...if it's not wrong for me to hope and wish...why is it wrong for you to?"

She's laying her head down on the bar, you know she's getting sleepy again.

"You'd probably be more comfortable with him." You state, pointing to Cloud.

He's strewn himself across the big armchair in the corner. His head is propped up in the corner, one leg thrown over the arm of the chair. She giggles, her eyelids drooping.

"Goodbye, Tifa."

"Where am I going?"

"Nowhere..."

"But that means..." She's trying to put it together in her drunken state.

"Don't worry Tifa...it's just a dream anyways."

This makes her smile as she falls into a drunk sleep. You lean over and kiss the top of her head, thinking of her forever as your mother. You lift her into your arms before carrying her over to Cloud's chair. You set her on the edge beside of him, and even in his sleep he knows her, you can tell. He feels the warmth against his side, and he reaches out unconsciously, finding her hip, and he smiles. It's a true smile, and the biggest smile you think you've ever saw on the man. He looks so happy, like he hasn't carried the fate of the world on his shoulders before. Like he hasn't ever harmed a single thing. As he folds her into his arms on the couch, you see her smile increase as well. You slip the letters into the space folded between them. You place a hand on Cloud's shoulder, and whisper into his ear, "Buy a ring, already." He replies in a slurred voice, "I already have..." Typical, you think to yourself.

"Then give it to her."

He yawns in his sleep, "Tomorrow."

"Promise."

"I promise."

"No matter what happens, you will?"

"Yes."

"Then, goodbye."

"Bye."

You grab your bags from beside the bar, casting your eyes across one more time at the home you've come to know so well, the family that had adopted you. From Barret sprawled on the floor, to Nanaki pillowing Vincent's head, to Reeve, asleep on top of the coffee table, to Yuffie, mushed on one in end of the couch, and Cid and Shera on the other. And finally, to Cloud and Tifa, curled in each others arms on the chair, large smiles still present on their faces, and in love even in a drunken sleep.

You turn slowly, exiting without looking back. If you look back now, you'll never leave. You take your motorcycle. You ride it out to the cliffs, and it's only their that you look back at the city you left. Your eyes cast over it slowly, and you shut them quickly. Tipping your head back, you gaze up at the stars, and swallow. You keep telling yourself, you will not cry. You can throw up, and faint, heck, you can even die. But you will not cry.

Your only regret is not seeing Tifa and Cloud getting married, because you know they will.

You try to tell yourself that they don't get upset over your leaving.

It's many, many years later, though, that when you find Vincent again, he tells you Tifa cried for two days...he said her tears started the moment she woke up...that she just knew...and they were terrible sobs after she read the letter. He said the children cried, and that everyone was subdued. He swears he thinks he even saw a frown from Cloud...although if he cried, he doesn't know. That would've been saved for the time when he was comforting Tifa in their bed.

He's kind enough to tell you that they did get married three weeks later, and to give you a wedding picture.

However, at this moment, you know none of this. So you continue on...trying to figure out where you'll go...and trying to justify why you left.

_Breathe my child, it's all okay._

_Don't cry anymore, my love today._

_Love is life, and life is love,_

_fly away my beautiful dove._

_In your dreams, sleep peacefully_

_tomorrow will be better, just believe_

_So breathe my child, it's all okay_

_Don't cry anymore my love today_

_I'm here for now, this moment I say_

_I'm here for good, in your heart I'll stay._

**A/N: **this chapter was soooo sad! thanks so much to everyone who is reviewing...means alot with this story...cause it's centering around 'Loz'...now known as Shale...who isn't exactly everyone's favorite character.


	5. The Fifth Verse

The Fifth Verse

You travel for many years. It's such a long time before you actually settle down anywhere. The way you see it, you've had two grave mistakes in your life. Leaving your mother, and leaving your adopted family. You're about to make your third one, though you don't know it yet.

Walking down that road seemed to take you so far from your memories. That's where you live now, really. Swallowed up and drowning in memories and daydreams. Your eyes have formed a glaze over them. You don't live in the present, just the past. You barely acknowledge people, and they all think you rude for it. You earn money by doing odd jobs, killing monsters really. You feel even if you don't want to live anymore, you should try and help as many people.

It's on that road you actually let your mind wander into the present. It's a brown, rough, dirt road, full of rocks and grass stubble. You stop, scuffing your feet across one of the patches. The trees around the edge of the road are orange and gold with the season's change. The sun casts through the leaves, making the trees take the appearance of being on fire. A soft wind blows, and the tall grass on either side of the road waves in response. Tipping your head back, you listen to the calming affects of the grass and leaves swaying in the wind. The sky is a bright, vibrant blue. There are clouds that scatter the sky, fading into the sky on the horizon. There are tracks from airships strewn across the sky, blending with the clouds. The wispy movements of the clouds remind you of the ocean. It looks like the froth of a wave as it raced up towards your feet so long ago, standing on the shore of Costa Del Sol. You've lost track of when it was the last time you went to the ocean. You've lost track of the year, the days. You've even lost track of where you are. It doesn't seem to matter to you, though, since all the mistakes you made. You can't help but think that this may of possibly been what Cloud felt like when he left Tifa and Denzel and Marlene. He left because of an incurable disease, and wallowing in the past. Maybe some of the things that go through your head, went through his. You have a new respect for the man, though it's been many years since you last seen him or even heard of him.

There's something about the town when you first walk into it. You know what it is, later. The town is small, dusty roads, with little old men who sit outside of the town bar playing checkers. A true cliche of the small hometown where everyone knows everyone. This becomes apparent, as many people sort of stare at you as you continue down the road. Sure, you know you're dirty and disheveled with travel, but mostly, it's because you're a stranger. You keep pacing down the road, ignoring everyone whose eyes follow you. You pause once to pick up the doll a few boys discarded when you gave disapproving looks. You hold it in your hands where it dangles limply and pathetically. Still, it is no doubt the love of a small girl's heart. It's hair is tainted with mud a leave bits, and the dress it wears is torn. It's got brown, yarn hair, and painted blue eyes and a red mouth, forever stuck in it's happy look of glee. You pity the doll. Honestly, you wouldn't be smiling in such a state. Course, you can't remember the last time you smiled.

You hold the doll loosely in your hand as you walk into the store. You purchase some supplies, and the owner eyes you warily. You sigh, tired with the strange looks. You place the doll on the counter top with no words. You don't use your voice anymore unless it's absolutely necessary. The man looks at it dubiously.

"We don't sell toys."

You glare, "I found it..."

"Oh! I recognize this! Little Sera's doll...hmm, she'll be heartbroken." The man frowns deeply.

You feel a pang of guilt twist your heart as you think of the time Marlene lost her teddy bear 'Schnuckums' that her father gave her when she was three. You remember she had a pet name for it, too. "Schnucks."

The man fiddles with the leaf bits in the hair and sighs.

"Where does she live?" You ask.

He looks up, surprised.

"I have...a little sister...who was devastated anytime she was separated from her teddy bear."

The man grins, holding out the doll, "Up on the corner...last house on the left. Can't miss it. Last time this happened, she was sitting out on the porch crying...so you should be able to find her easy."

You thank the man, and then take the doll and leave. Making your way down the street once again, you ignore the stares and snickers at the fact you're carrying a doll. As you near the last house, you see as the old man said, a small girl sitting on the porch sniffling. She's got bright red hair that hangs in bouncy curls, and her toes are scrunched up as she cries.

You say nothing but merely sit the doll down beside of her on the steps. She looks up, surprised. She must only be about four or five.

She gasps, "Sophie! Thanks." She says, picking the doll up.

You stare at her for a moment, and then turn and walk away.

It's on your way out of the town you happen upon the old man and the house. He's trying to pull out a weathered 'For Sell' sign from the yard of a broken and abandoned house. You pause, watching him struggle for a moment, him, unaware of your presence.

"Here, Grandfather, let me help you with that."

The old man looks up, surprised, and then sighs, backing away and scratching his balding head. You reach out, giving the sign a sturdy tug, and it slips easily from the dry earth. This brings your gaze up to the house. It's a good size home, but it's broken. The shudders are hanging ascue, and the fence around the porch is broken in places. The paint is peeling in places, and the grass has grown as tall as your waist. In the distance you see a cliff edge. You turn back to the old man, who had been studying you. You ask him if he bought this place, and he replied no.

"Then why are you taking out the sign?"

"No one's going to buy this place! Even if I do clean it up..."

You ask him what he means. He begins with a 'when I was younger' line, and you almost groan in frustration, but stop yourself. He tells you a small family lived there.

"Mother, Father and son. Father passed on about ten years into the marriage...and when the boy was in his late teens, he disappeared one night...and they found his mother murdered out back. Neighbors said they heard her calling for him for the longest time, and then she just...stopped. Many speculate that it was the son...drove mad by voices in his head. Lady in a store overheard him talking...but he was the only one around...they never found him or his body...think he may've thrown himself off the cliff when he realized what he'd done...some don't think it was 'im though...say it was a stranger who came to town...and he was a _strange _stranger...course, I can't remember..."

You can't help but ask, "What were their names?"

"The family? Oh...uh..." He scratches his chin, tilting his head back. "The...the Alems...The father was...Marcus..Michael? I can't recall...but the woman's name was Annie...and her son was Shiloh."

You sigh in relief.

"Though I think she called 'im Shale...can't recall really...but anyways...this old house can burn to the ground...I don't really care what happens...I just don't want to deal with it anymore." With that, the old man turns and thanks you, and leaves you standing and staring at the old house.

You camp outside of the town and remember. You hated your name, Shiloh...you asked your mother for a new one...and she came up with a solution...a combination of your first and last name. Sh and Ale...Shale...It's two weeks before you return to the house and just move in. You figure it'll take the townsfolk a while to notice, or they just won't care. Either way, you figure the house your mother lived in shouldn't just rot away.

It's about fifteen years later that you reinstate yourself with society. You spend most of those years fixing up the old house. You repaint it to the pale blue it use to be, rehang the shudders, fix the fence, paint the porch, replace the doors and windows, mow the grass, plant some flowers, rebuilt the old barn, and fixed the furniture through out the house. It's a good way to occupy your time, and a good way to try and make up for everything you've done. You only go into town when the need calls for it. Even then, you keep yourself hooded. The townsfolk don't try to make friends with you, they acknowledge your presence, but still none of them even know how old you are nor what you look like. You figure it's an advantage in case you ever do need to show your face. After you fix everything possible in the house, you need another hobby. One that's long term, and that'll take up your time. You build a fence around the barn you built, and begin to raise chocobos and other livestock. It isn't easy, especially for one person, but it works for you. You have plenty of time to do what you need to, and can sell the animals or milk or eggs for money. It's a good way to live, you figure, at least for now. You don't know how long you can keep up the facade though. You don't know how long until they begin to question your presence. It's on one of those days when your selling and shopping that you see her. You're buying a bit of bread when you just happen to look over. She's standing in the midst of a few other girls, each of them giggling with teenaged fantasies, no doubt. She's different though, focused on the task at hand. She's got wavy, red-blonde hair that hangs down to her feet, and she looks up, as if sensing someone staring. You see her eyes land on you, dark brown eyes with a tint of red to them. They remind you of Tifa's eyes. She's got one of those apple shaped face, with dimples and she smiles at you. You nod your head in acknowledgment, and all of her friends gasp at her boldness. Even from where you're standing you hear their whispers of 'do you know who he is?' or 'he's that man from the hill' or 'how _old_ is he anyways?'. You turn quickly, and walk away, not bothering with the rest of the days needs.

After this, you find yourself entering the town on more occasions, looking for any excuse to spot her again. It's two weeks before you finally do. She's sitting on the porch of her home, and you recognize it as the home of the little girl from all those years ago. You realize that she must be the little girl, and you feel sick suddenly because of the interest you have in her. But is it really wrong, you counter yourself. Honestly, you know you haven't grown in body, and you haven't grown in mind. You haven't lived through anything that would make you older there, you haven't even had a mid-life crisis, and if you were really of age, you'd be well past one. Really, the only way you aged was by the tragedies that made you what you are today. Isn't that sort of like Cloud and Tifa? You remember their story of Nibelhiem, about how their families were killed. Tifa told you once she felt she aged a thousand years that single night. It's the only way she aged, but still, she was no older.

You wrestle with yourself with this for so long, you don't realize she's walked up to you until she says hello. You jump, knocked suddenly from your stupor. You say nothing, and she just smiles and asks if you're a mute. You shake your head no, though you figure you should've shook it yes. It'd be a good way to get out of here before you got in trouble. She says her name is Sera Mals. She asks your name then, and you can't help but reply to her. She's got the voice of an angel, you figure it has to be of an angel. It's sweet, and she's very friendly.

"Shale." You reply softly.

"Gotta last name?" She giggles.

"...Strife."

You don't know why you say that. You figure Cloud and Tifa must be married by now, and if they were, and you were Tifa's and Cloud's 'son', then couldn't you take their last name? It would be better than taking the name of some long dead murder suspect you figure.

"So you're not as old as they speculate." She says, more to herself.

"Huh? Who?"

She blushes, "Oh, my friends...they all thought you were an old foagie! Wait till I tell them...you don't sound old at all."

"I'm only twenty three."

"But there's been a man there for quite a while now...and you'd been just a boy..."

"Must've seen my father."

The lies roll off your tongue. You don't know why you want Sera to accept you, you just do. These are all plausible things, are they not?

You act like Cloud did with Tifa. You're afraid to ask her to do anything. She rejects every man that asks her. When you finally do though, she says yes. The two of you become close very fast after your first talk. She does most of the talking, though, like Tifa did with Cloud. She understands that your past is a touchy subject. You tell her you came to the house about five years ago when your father passed on. He left it to you. She only asks once about your mother, and you say nothing. She gets the idea, and she doesn't press. It's a wonderful experience, being with Sera. You feel guilty, though. Deceiving an angel, you figure it must be the ultimate sin. Still, her smiles make the guilt disappear, and you spend even more time with her. You buy her a necklace for her eighteenth birthday, and she just flings her arms around your neck and smiles so big. Her parents love you, think you're wonderful for keeping the old house up and running. They still don't see how you can do all the work by yourself, and Sera's brother comes around every now and then to help out. The two of you become fast friends. He's got an infectious personality like Sera...like Tifa...

It's a three months later when it happens, out by the barn.

You get your first kiss there...and it's anything but romantic, she tells you, giggling afterwards. After all, you were standing in ankle deep muck shoveling manure while she stood on the bottom railing of the fence to lean over and kiss you, but you don't care. She's the only woman you'll ever love like that.

It's on your year anniversary that you tell her you love her, and that you take her for the first time.

"_And feel the love my angel, today,_

_just open your heart up and pray._"

You get married a year later, Sera taking on the name of Strife.

You have a child the next year. While you never spoke of your mother, she knows she's important to you. So when the child turns out to be a little girl, Sera says you should name it for your mother. You broad over it for maybe half a second, the problem being who you choose. Tifa? Or your real mother, Annie? You come up with a decision. Tifannie. Sera gasps, and asks if that was really her name...she thinks it's beautiful, and she can think of many pet names for your new baby. Sera holds Tifannie in her arms, and she smiles up at you, big. She says she's got your eyes.

It's when Tifannie turns seven that you see the problem resurfacing. You can see Sera aging, and you swallow, facing grim facts. You kiss Sera on the forehead, and she looks at you questioningly, and you walk out, standing by the cliff that had led to your demise so long ago. You curse Kadaj again. It's a name that you haven't let yourself think of since you left Tifa and Cloud so many years ago. You can't even recall how many years it was since you last saw them. Standing there, you regret it, but it's the only thing you can do. You watch Sera sleep after you make love to her one last time. You won't know for quite sometime that this led to your second child. A baby boy she names after you.

You check in on Tifannie, giving her a kiss on the forehead. She stirs, looking up at you.

"Daddy?"

Your heart swells. It's such a word that can bring upon such happiness, to know you have a child.

"Shh, go back to sleep, Teef."

"I can't now."

"How bout I sing you a lullaby?"

"You can sing?"

You don't answer. Instead, you sing of it what you know. She's nearly asleep as you finish it. Maybe one more verse would've put her out, but you can't remember it.

Guilt has never been more present in your life. You can never make another mistake like this again. Walking away, you make it seem as if you fell from the cliff at night. Walking a path through the grass, and then shaking the dirt up around the edge, it's the best you can do. You pull a button from the sleeve of your shirt and lay it on the ground, beside of rock. It's a poor attempt of a faked death, but it's the best you can do. All you can think is that maybe they'll believe you trip and fell to your death. Maybe...

They'll find it ironic that a boy who lived around fifty years ago died the same way, or at least that's what they speculate. You wonder if they'll notice the fathers of this house died when their children were of the same age. They won't care though. At least the girl is okay. At least their Sera is okay. The stranger and his son that appeared so quickly roughly twenty five years ago left such an impact on all their lives. They were sad to see him go, and held a memorial service. Some expected foul play, though not from the family. They knew the kind hearted stranger knew that cliff all too well.

You sigh, at least they'll still have Sera, and Tifannie...gifts from God...angels that walked the earth.

However, the reason you didn't really throw yourself from the cliff that night is because you've got one last thing you have to do before you die, if you'll ever die.

You've got one last angel to see.

Tifa.

_Breathe my child, it's all okay._

_Don't cry anymore, my love today._

_Love is life, and life is love,_

_Fly away my beautiful dove._

_In your dreams, sleep peacefully_

_Tomorrow will be better, just believe_

_So breathe my child, it's all okay_

_Don't cry anymore my love today_

_I'm here for now, this moment I say_

_I'm here for good, in your heart I'll stay._

_And feel the love my angel, today,_

_Just open your heart up and pray._

**A/N:** Man, I'm cruel...ah well...not much more to go...and it was soooo long this chapter...I'm really not for made up characters, usually...but Shale needed some love...but so SAD...thank you guys SO much for all the reviews...they're very kind, and keep meh happy! Loves ya lots!


	6. The Sixth Verse

The Sixth Verse

You've done your calculations, and figure out you left Tifa and Cloud over sixty years ago. You'd only been off about ten years. As you make your way through the streets, you wonder if Seventh Heaven is still even there. You wonder how Cloud and Tifa are doing, and you wonder about the rest of the AVALANCHE members. As you near the building, you see it's gotten larger. It's been connected to the building behind it. You push onwards, glancing up at the door. There's a sign saying 'closed' on the front, so you knock. After a few minutes, you hear light footsteps, and the door squeaks open slightly. Through the small crack, you see a blue eye gaze up at you.

"Closed." The little girl squeaks.

"I'm here to see Tifa." You reply.

She frowns, then the door shuts and you hear her cry 'Mummy!'. A few seconds later the door opens fully, revealing a woman. She looks like Tifa, but she's not. She's got brown hair, but her face is different. She narrows her eyes.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

You frown, insulted. "I came to visit Tifa."

"Well, I'm right hear, so state your business...or unless you didn't see, we're closed." She places her hands on her hips.

"You're not Tifa."

"Sir, I think I know who I am...and I _am_ Tifa."

"I think not."

The woman narrows her eyes again.

"What's going on here?" An old voice interrupts.

An old lady steps up, and narrows her eyes at you, much in the same fashion of the younger.

"He says he's here to see Tifa." The younger woman states, rolling her eyes.

The older regards you for a moment.

"I'm an old friend."

"I've never seen you before in my life!" The younger screeches.

"I'm sorry, but you can't be an 'old' friend...you don't look a day over twenty-two." The older replies.

You sigh, you're getting frustrated and you don't have time to bicker with these ignorant women.

"Listen...if you won't let me see Tifa...at least let me see Cloud...he'll set you straight."

You watch as each of their mouths drop open in shock and horror.

"You...you..." The younger starts.

The little girl gasps.

"Monster! Evil! Vile being!" The old lady screeches at you.

She lifts her cane in a threatening manner. You hold your hands up to prevent abuse as they all yell at you for being such a fowl creature, and that you should die and rot and burn in hell. You're getting very angry, still confused on why these women are attacking you for no apparent reason, when another voice breaks the chaos.

"Quiet! Be quiet!"

The three silence themselves immediately, the old lady putting down her cane. Your gaze lifts, and you see an even _older_ lady standing there. She's glaring at all of you, including the women.

"Did you want to wake Mother?"

They each shake their heads in shame no.

She sighs, "Who are you? What do you want?"

"I'm Shale..."

"_Shale?!_" They all gasp.

You sigh, annoyed with their interruption, "I'm an old friend of Tifa's."

The women look like they're about to attack again, the oldest holds her hand up in silence. She regards you with her eyes. They've been dulled over the years it seems, and her hair is in a very long braid and pure white. She's got deep wrinkles, and she's still glaring, but there's something in her eyes.

You think you know her.

"Alright then...follow me." She states, turning on foot.

"But...but Mother Mar-

"Silence!" She squawks, not even turning around.

"He asked about Grandpa...though..." The little girl states.

The old lady ignores them all, though, and leads you up stairs you know. Memories flood back to you, and you try to fight them back. It'd make matters even worse if you broke down in front of all these crazy women. The old woman leads you down a familiar hall, to Cloud's room. She opens the door a bit, and looks up at you.

"Hmm."

And then she turns and walks away.

You watch her for a moment, before entering the room slowly. It's dark. The curtains have been pulled shut, and there's someone on the bed. You walk slowly over, almost afraid to look. You swallow, your eyes setting on the face of an old lady, her white hair spanning out behind her in a fan. She opens her eyes, and you know her.

"Ti...fa...?" You squeak.

You had forgotten...you didn't age, you'd thought everything would still be the same. You forgot she aged, that she'd get old. She smiles, her wrinkles bending to match the curve of her mouth. Her eyes though, are the exact same color, and while they're full of love, they've lost the glint they once had.

"Shale?" She asks, almost afraid.

You realize you're afraid too, as you reach out and clasp her withered hand. She smiles, small tears pricking the corner of her eyes.

"So this is why...you left?"

You nod, swallowing. You can see now the light going out of her eyes.

"You came back...so...you...remem...bered?"

You nod your head, biting back tears. She's dying right in front of you, and there's nothing you can do. You waited to late. You wanted to sit there and tell her your life story, want to tell her why you left, who you were, what you did, why you became Loz, and how you hated everything you were, until she saved you. Instead, all you can say is:

"I'm married, and I have a child."

A grin splits her old face, "Wonderful..."

"I had to leave them though."

"...'s okay..." She pats your hand, and you swallow. "We still...your child...wife...Cloud 'nd me...we all...love you..."

How can you sum up everything she's meant to you? How can you make her passing any easier? How can you conclude her life? What can you possibly do as you lose someone you loved with your whole heart...yet again? What do you say to them? How do you say it's okay if you need your rest now...it's okay for you to leave...it's okay for you to die...how do you give permission? How do you end a life that doesn't deserve to end? How do you say goodbye to someone who you haven't even said hello to yet? How do you do that? How do you let go?

_Mother's here, so don't be lonely,_

_My dearest, my child, my angel, my only._

You sing, and find you did remember after all. She smiles as you sing through the first three verses, a bit of a frown forms around the forth, but by the end of the song, she's smiling again, her eyes closed peacefully. But you realize that's all she's doing, smiling. No longer does her tears flow, no longer does her chest rise and fall in shaky breaths, instead it sits still...as still as death, because that's where she is now, and that now she's passed. You feel guilty, because of all the people who should've been with her in her last moment, you didn't deserve to be the one. It should've been her family, one of her children, Cid, Barret, Vincent, Yuffie...it should've been Cloud. It should've been anyone else but you. You didn't deserve to hear her last words, they did. And you cry. You can't remember the last time you cried. You didn't even cry when you left Sera and Tifannie. You're awful for not crying, but here...as you lose your mother, you'll cry. You burst into tears, clinging on to her hand that no longer grips back, pressing it into your forehead, willing her back to life for just a second, just so you can gaze into her eyes again and say you're sorry. You just want that, to be forgiven. Not just for leaving, but for hurting her when you were Loz, for leaving your real mother, for letting go of your memories, and not killing Kadaj when you had the chance. You're so sorry for so many things, that you'd never have enough time in the world to apologize for it all. You gasp for air, burying your face in her blankets and cry away all that you can, until you can cry no more, and you are left a sniffling, pathetic lump of flesh, clinging to the last person you wished to hurt. There was so much left unsaid, and you curse yourself for arriving too late, for not spilling out everything. You curse yourself and you do not hear the door squeak open.

"She never once hated you." A voice cracks the air.

You look up, glaring. It's the oldest of the ladies, her eyes regarding you with pity. You can't help but think if those women hadn't of bickered with you, you would've had more time with Tifa.

"She forgave you for leaving, as much damage as it did on her heart though." The woman states, hobbling over.

"I always knew it was you though...I could always see him in you, and it frightened me at first. But he dimmed after a while."

"You could always...see who?" You choke, your eyes back on the bed.

"The man from the church...that took me, and hurt Tifa. I can barely see him now."

You gasp, looking up. "Marlene?"

She grins, a sad grin, "In the flesh."

"But...you, you're..."

"Old? Yes...time does that for the rest of us. You'll have to forgive the others...the woman's name is Tifa...she's Tifa's granddaughter. The other old woman is Old Tifa's daughter, Aerith...and the youngest was Abagail...young Tifa's daughter." She sighs here. "Seems I'm the Old Mother of the house now...that's depressing."

You gape at her, "Don't you care that she just died?"

Her eyes soften, "Of course, Shale...it's just...we expected her to be gone by now."

"What?" You ask coolly.

"You need to understand...Tifa only stayed in good health to attend the funeral...and that was four days ago."

"Who's funeral?" You choke.

"...Cloud's..." Marlene's voice goes soft.

"Cloud?" You whisper.

She nods her head, "I guess she was waiting to see you again...you did say you would come back...if it'd been her who'd gone first, Cloud would've followed in seconds...but you made her wait..." She grins at you, "He'll be peeved when you die."

You gape at her, surprised at her easiness to speak of death. "If I ever die."

"Ha! You aren't as ageless as you think...you've aged a few years...I can tell...you look about twenty-three now...last I saw of you, you looked seventeen-eighteen years old..."

"I've aged?"

"A bit..."

"That means..."

"You still have a chance to go to the promised land." Marlene sighs.

You're silent for a moment, but you have to ask. "And of everyone else?"

"Cid passed about twenty years back from lung cancer...Shera followed ten years later from old age. Nanaki is still roaming Cosmo Canyon...and Yuffie...Yuffie passed about six years back from a wasting disease...and my father...he died about thirty years back...an accident out on the oil fields...Vincent still wanders in every now and then...He was here for Cloud's funeral...don't know if he'll be here for Tifa's, though..."

"Reeve?"

"Assassinated when he brought about the change..."

"Change?"

"Been out of touch? Yeah...there was a big civil war about forty years back...between Rufus and Reeve...Reeve ultimately won...went about for a time, really fixing everything up...but then...he was assassinated...people would've suspected Rufus...but he was killed too...the Turks died trying to save the both of them...Reeve and Rufus...they weren't exactly friends...but they were decent with each other...seems someone just wanted ShinRa gone for good...no one still knows who did it."

"I can't...have missed that much..."

"You did...but you weren't forgotten. Come with me."

Marlene stands, and you follow. She leads you out to the building now connected to Seventh Heaven. You see now it's retained it's own entrance, and when you walk up to it, there's a bronze plaque beside the door. It reads:

"_The Strife Family Adoption Home_

_In Honor of Shale Strife, the Lost Child."_

You swallow, fighting tears again.

"It was Tifa's idea for the home...Cloud's for the dedication...they had many more children than your average couple...only one by birth though, Aerith."

"And what of you?"

"Denzel and I married...he's out doing errands right now. We've got a few of our own...Zack and Shale..twin brothers."

"How...did I make such an impact? I was only here for two years."

"You cared for us...you were a lost child...and we found you...kind of like how you lost your lullaby and found it again. And you were our big brother."

You smile. "Would you call me your older brother or your younger?"

She slaps you across the back of the head, "You're much older than I..."

You sigh, turning from the adoption home.

"Where will you go?"

"I don't know...I can't stay here...or anywhere...I don't want to get attached...I think, I think I'll find Vincent...find out some stuff from him...He seems to know everything...I want to know why I ended up this way."

She nods her head once, and then walks over and kisses your cheek.

"What was that for?"

"Cause I don't think I'll see you again until you make it to the promised land...I'll tell Denzel you stopped in."

"But Tifa's funeral..."

"Shale..."

"Never mind...I'd just have to let go again." You turn walking away.

You don't know why you ended up in the Midgar ruins, standing in that church where you tried to kill Tifa so long ago. You contemplate drowning yourself, but hear footsteps behind you.

"Yazoo?" You ask.

He stops, his eyes narrowing, "Who are you?"

He hasn't changed much, still slender, and his hair is still long and silver, but his eyes are a deep brown.

"You knew me as Loz..."

"No kidding...so it is you...I was wondering where your big butt had ended up...and lo, it's right here where it all began."

You can't reply. He hasn't changed much.

"So, who are you now?"

"Shale."

"Shale? Well, Shale, I'm Kal. Nice to meet you."

"That was who you were before?"

"Unfortunately...I assume you fixed your life and completed it."

"If I did, I wouldn't still be alive, I think."

"Point."

"So you haven't aged either...have you been mortally injured?"

He laughs, you don't ever remember him laughing as Yazoo, just grinning maniacally.

"I've tried to kill myself eight times in the past hour."

"What?"

"I make it a goal to try and kill myself twenty times a day...for some reason I really wanted to die today...and now I see why..."

"So we can't die." You say, more to yourself than him.

"You mean you never tried to kill yourself?" He asks.

You shake your head no. "It's my punishment."

"Hmm...who'd thought you'd end up valiant."

"So where've you been?"

"Everywhere."

"Same here...I got married, had a child."

"Really? I've had women, but none I'd marry...there are advantageous to not aging."

"You're sick."

"Depends on how you look at it."

"There's only one way to look at it."

"So where will you head from here?" he asks.

"I"m going to try and find Vincent...see if he knows a way to die."

"Don't you think he'd have done this to himself if he had a way?"

You shrug, "Better than staying here."

"Hmm...alright then...I'll see you around."

He walked out of the church, and out of your life. In the future, he'd walk in and out of your life many times. You witnessed how he changed over the years, what changed him into the man he was when you saw him for the last time. You find it strange you once regarded this man as your brother. You find Vincent and speak with him, seeing his changes now he has none of his friends left. You can tell he wants to die just as bad as you. You however, have hope. At least you're aging.

_Breathe my child, it's all okay._

_Don't cry anymore, my love today._

_Love is life, and life is love,_

_Fly away my beautiful dove._

_In your dreams, sleep peacefully_

_Tomorrow will be better, just believe._

_So breathe my child, it's all okay,_

_Don't cry anymore my love today._

_I'm here for now, this moment I say,_

_I'm here for good, in your heart I'll stay._

_And feel the love my angel, today,_

_Just open your heart up and pray._

_Mother's here, so don't be lonely,_

_My dearest, my angel, my child, my only._

**A/N:** HOLY CRAP...I realized just now I completely, most utterly forgot to put in something in the last chapter...it was something small...but when Shale left Tifannie...I was _suppose_ to put how she was sleeping with 'Sophie'...Sera's doll (that was the whole reason I gave it a name). CRAP! Yeah, you guys use your imaginations...and just stick that in yourself. There's going to be one last thing...I really hope you guys have liked this. Thanks for all the reviews!


	7. A Lullaby Found

A Lullaby Found

You walk the earth for at least another hundred years. You're around when Marlene passes on, and attend her funeral. Apparently Denzel has already passed. You stop at their graves every few months, and did so even before Marlene died. You place lilies from the church on each of their graves, and you place yellow roses on Tifa's. You remember they were her favorite. You donate gil you've earned over the years to the "Strife Family Adoption Home". You help repair it, watch over some of the kids now and again. Tifa's family that she left behind comes to accept you when you visit. It's a hundred years, though, after Tifa's death, after Kal's revelation, after Marlene's death, and even Aerith's death, that life finally looks up for you.

That's because, life finally ends for you.

Lying in that bed that night, you never really thought you'd be there. You're a guest at Seventh Heaven, once again, with Abagail watching out for you. You're in Cloud and Tifa's old room. You lay there for so long, just staring up at the ceiling, replaying the events of your life; your never ending life. You've aged a few years yet again, it seems. It keeps you hoping. You wonder if Tifa watches over you, along with your mother, and Sera. Your heart pangs a moment with guilt, knowing Sera has passed, and your daughter as well. You haven't visited their graves, as much as you've wanted to. It just hurts so bad everytime you left your mind drift to them. You close your eyes for a second, and don't know how you ended up there. After all, it's been so long since you've dreamed.

That church.

You're sitting on one of the pews that haven't been destroyed yet, the pool gone, and a patch of flowers replacing it.

It seems to of had such an effect on your life, and yet you've spent such little time there. Just enough time to attack and be saved by Tifa. And then there's a woman kneeling in the patch of flowers. The white and yellow lilies you scorned once upon a time are back, and she's caring for them with delicate fingers. She's wearing a long pink dress, with a little red jacket over. You note large bangles on her wrists, and big brown boots. What catches your eye the most though, is her hair. It's like Marlene's was, braided down her back, and pulled up with a pink ribbon. You remember how Cloud and Tifa, and the rest of them had all worn a pink ribbon in remembrance of the Flower Girl. You realize with horror that's whose presence you are in. She stands slowly, brushing the dirt from the front of her dress, and turns to look at you with bright emerald green eyes. They're full of hope and love and life. They remind you of Tifa's eyes.

_Why are you afraid?_

She doesn't even speak, but you feel the words emote off of her.

"I don't believe...I deserve to be in your presence..." You cast your eyes down in shame.

_Why?_

"You saved the planet...you were killed...by him..." You struggle with the words. "And at one point in my life, I was trying to revive...him..."

It's a delicate touch on the side of your face as her fingers grace your jaw, causing you to tip your head up. She smiles lightly.

"You're not to blame." She speaks for the first time.

"But I..."

"Were forced...I watched...that night when you were on the cliff. Jenova took you there, and Kadaj. You were all forced into something. You were forced to support Kadaj, and Kadaj was forced to be a remnant."

"She killed my mother, didn't she?"

She smiles, "She's waiting for you."

"Hmm."

"You still do not want to come?"

"I do...more than anything...I just wonder...if I deserve to."

"Oh Shale..." You look up, surprised. "You deserve to so much more than you think. A mistake you made, but do we not all make mistakes? Even I did...so do not blame yourself for something that fate was meant to cause. After all, if things had not ended up as they had, would you've met Sera?" She's caught you off guard again. "After all, you were from two different times...you would've been old by the time she was born...both of you would've went through life without your true love...and...would you had ever met Tifa? The one that saved you?"

You sit in silence, shocked by the truth of those words.

She smiles greatly now, "You're so much like him..."

"Who?"

She turns, walking softly back towards the flowers.

_Your foster father._

"C-Cloud?"

She gives a small giggle, her feelings radiating off of her again, rather than speaking.

_Always blaming himself for something that wasn't his fault; trying to change the past when the future is the way it's suppose to be._

"I'm like Cloud?"

She giggles softly again, her voice booming in the church, but soft at the same time.

_Ready?_

"Really?"

_Would I lie?_

The church is fading, white pulling at the edge of your vision, the Flower Girl kneeling once again in her patch of flowers.

"No...but wait...Vincent...and Kal..."

_Kal still has much he needs to atone for...as for Vincent..._

"I won't go unless you offer him..."

You feel her smile, though she isn't facing you.

_He's already here...so much like her...your foster mother...Always caring for people before yourself._

"How can you be like Cloud and Tifa at the same time?"

She giggles one last time.

It's all fading again, and her back is the last thing you see before the world turns an airy white. Though there is nothing, you are sitting in this white expanse, and somehow, your clothes and hair ruffles with wind.

_Hey..._

A voice you haven't heard in so long whispers in your ear, and causes you to cast your gaze up.

_Let's go._

There's a hand appearing in this white expanse, pale and dainty, and coming closer and growing in size. You remember watching Kadaj reach towards an invisible hand a top the Midgar ruins so long ago. You reach up unconsciously, thinking it's the Flower Girl again. Instead, there are no bangles on her wrists.

Instead, there is a ring with a wolf carved into it on the ring finger.

Your fingers grace that of her's, and you feel yourself being pulled away, all your feelings disappearing, and then slamming back into you with such force, it drives the breath from you lungs. You assume this is the moment you actually died, that your soul left your body.

And then you open your eyes, lying back in a great field of lilies, eyes cast towards a bright blue sky. You sit up slowly, the lilies tickling your skin, and you cast your eyes about you.

Is this it? Are you there? Have you finally made it to the promised land? Or is this just merely a dream? And if it is a dream, it would really be a nightmare then.

"Shale!" Then hands cover your eyes.

There's a giggle you know, and don't know. And then they're speeding off past you. A woman of the age of about twenty, and a man as well, running through the flowers. She casts a glance over her shoulder at you, and your mouth opens in shock.

"Marlene? Denzel?"

You're seeing them at an age you never saw when you were alive. They're rolling around in the lilies now, and another person is walk up.

"Vincent? Yuffie?"

They wave hello as they continue, Yuffie placing a crown of lilies on your head. She laughs flat out, and even Vincent gives the hint of a smile.

Then there's Reeve, and the Turks and Rufus in the distance laughing about something. Reeve waves at you, as Cid and Shera walk past with an adult version of their daughter. Barret storms past you in a rush, a quick 'Yo!' thrown over his shoulder. You notice the gunarm is gone, as is Vincent's golden claw. Nanaki bounds past you, tossing lilies into the sky. You stand slowly, feeling someone pat your shoulder lightly.

"Cloud?" You breathe.

He keeps walking, though, as if his eyes are set on something else. You turn to follow his eyes, but someone calls to you from behind.

"Shale!"

She giggles, it's the flower girl from your dream. She rushes up, giving you a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

She thieves your flower crown before whispering in your ear, "Glad to see you could make it."

A man with dark hair follows her as she runs on, and he gives you a friendly wave.

You numbly give one back, dreading the moment you'll wake.

But that's the moment you see her.

She's moving towards you as if gliding on water, her red hair is long and billowing out behind her. There's another girl behind her, and a boy, that resemble both of you.

"Sera?" You gasp as she rushes up.

She plants a large kiss on your lips as you meet, crying and laughing.

"Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you?" She howls into your arms.

You hold her sobbing form against your chest, as she wraps her arms around you.

"Dad?" The young woman asks.

"Tifannie?"

She smiles, tears forming in her eyes that are so much like your own, and throws her arms around your waist.

"So...you're my father..." The man states, his eyes regarding you.

"What?"

"This is our other...child...Shale..." Sera states.

"We had another child?" You ask, shocked.

She nods giddily.

"Nice to meet you Dad." He grins, holding his hand out.

You laugh, for the first time in ages you actually laugh. Taking his hand you pull him into the hug you share with your wife and daughter.

"Shiloh?"

You recognize the voice.

"I thought I was Shale..."

Your mother laughs, kissing your cheek as your family releases you. Your father pats your shoulder.

"Took you long enough, boy." He states simply.

You can't believe this is happening, that you're actually in the promised land. More people keep appearing, laughing and talking. People you recognize from your travels and the adoption home, and people you don't even know.

"I'm sorry." A voice states from behind you.

You turn, a name caught on your tongue.

"Yes...my name was always Kadaj." He replies, his hair a deep golden color, and his eyes a deep purple.

"So you have been here..."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." You reply.

Your eyes cast about all the people you thought you'd never see again. They're moving away from you, speaking and laughing as if they were all old friends. You see Sera and Yuffie laughing at something, and Vincent and your father conversing. You smile, catching Cloud talking to a petite figure with long flowing hair.

Your eyes continue, until you do a double take. You gasp, your eyes going wide, and your lips parting in disbelief. You realize what Cloud had been watching earlier; there was only one person he was ever so intent upon.

She's there kissing Cloud on the lips lightly, yellow roses strewn through her hair, and her eyes bright with love and life again. You don't dare call out to her, or say her name, in fear that the dream will end, and everything will break.

"I told you he'd be mad at you." Marlene whispers in your ear.

You cast a glance at her. "He couldn't of been...what was it...a week? I had to wait a hundred years!"

She laughs, walking away. You glance over towards Cloud, but she's gone.

Your eyes go wild, frantic to see her again. And she's there, squeezing your arm lightly.

"Welcome home." She smiles.

"Ti...fa...?"

And she grins, and gives you a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, son." she giggles, and hugs you tight.

You hug her back, the woman that changed your life. The woman that gave you a reason to find your lullaby, to love people, to have a wife, and children, to help and to care. The woman who saved you from wallowing in your past about the transgressions you committed. She grins up at you as she pulls back.

"Marlene was right, Cloud was a bit huffy at first...but he understood."

She walks away, as many of them have done, leaving you to stand in awe of everything that has happened. How this once empty flower field turned into a reunion of sorts, of many people who never met in life, meet in death. People who existed in different places and times, becoming friends and sharing stories. It's amazing. And you realize it's not a dream.

Because they're all there...Sera, your mother, and Tifa. All of your angels are here, so there for, you must be dead. You'd expected it to shatter the moment you spoke Tifa's name, but it hadn't. You had been saved by the Flower Girl, and forgiven by all that you hurt, and had forgave the one who had brought it upon you.

You didn't give up, because you had people to love.

You must be in the promised land.

You tip your head back as a light rain begins to fall from the cloudless sky. No one runs from it, instead, many begin dancing and singing. You watch in wonder as Marlene and Denzel shrink in age, becoming the children you knew, clasping hands as they danced in the rain. Tifa grasps Cloud's hand, pulling him beneath a tree in the distance. Sera finds your hand, and you grasp it tightly within your own. She stands up on her tip toes, leaning into your ear.

"I love you."

You smile, "I love you."

"By the way, you have grandchildren."

You laugh, catching her off guard as you grab her by the waist and lift her from the ground, spinning her around. You pull her in, hugging her again tightly to your chest and inhale her scent as the rain pours down around you. She rushes off again, as many of them have a tendency to do, you find. You smile wide, life finally feeling whole and complete, even if you are technically dead.

After all, you finally did find your lullaby.

_Breathe my child, it's all okay._

_Don't cry anymore, my love today._

_Love is life, and life is love,_

_Fly away my beautiful dove._

_In your dreams, sleep peacefully;_

_Tomorrow will be better, just believe._

_So breathe my child, it's all okay,_

_Don't cry anymore my love today,_

_I'm here for now, this moment I say;_

_I'm here for good, in your heart I'll stay._

_And feel the love my angel, today,_

_Just open your heart up and pray._

_Mother's here, so don't be lonely,_

_My dearest, my angel, my child, my only._

_The End_

**A/N:** Dude...I love the scene with Aerith...and I wrote this last chapter while listening to Aerith's and Tifa's Theme...which I think was great for inspiration...anyways...and I know, with Nanaki...the timeline does not line up...he's still suppose to be alive...but I couldn't leave him out! special thanks to: crazymoneky101, havoc0gemini, ravenb, DaLover miyuufa, elebelly, Airtos, and ling. It really means alot that this story was enjoyed by you, even if it was a small crowd...I still love ya for it, as to the fact this story was a challenge...so thanks for all of the support! I may write a sister story told in Yazoo's POV...but I'm not sure yet...I'll have to get some inspiration...so, thanks again! Hope you enjoyed 'Lost Lullaby'


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